Suicide awareness growing in mid-Hudson

Monday

Nov 26, 2012 at 2:00 AM

PORT JERVIS — For three Orange County residents, spreading the word about suicide awareness keeps them busy all year round. They've made the prevention of teenage suicide their primary focus. That's because each of them experienced the loss of a young person and understands the pain all too well.

Pauline Liu

PORT JERVIS — For three Orange County residents, spreading the word about suicide awareness keeps them busy all year round. They've made the prevention of teenage suicide their primary focus. That's because each of them experienced the loss of a young person and understands the pain all too well.

The numbers are staggering: About 37,000 Americans take their own lives each year, and suicide is the third leading cause of death for those ages 15-24. That's why the group works closely with school districts.

When AnnMarie D'Aliso of Monroe spoke before a packed audience of 500 teenagers at Port Jervis High School last month, she saw children just slightly younger than her own. She lost her son Patrick to suicide in 2004. The sight of the young faces made her voice quiver.

"The reason I came out to speak is because I wish my son could sit where you're sitting and maybe it would have changed the outcome," she said.

John Luedke of Goshen spoke to the same crowd. He talked about his eldest brother, Walter, who jumped off the Tapann Zee Bridge when he was 19.

"It's been 29 years since he died, but it still affects me today," he said, as he fought back tears.

The group can tell if the kids are listening by watching for cues, particularly body language.

"Oh yeah, when they're listening, you can see their eyes and their posture change," said Sean Gerow, a director for the Family Empowerment Council and a certified suicide-prevention instructor. As the instructor in the group, Gerow supplies students with suicide stats and cites the commonly used suicide prevention catch phrase, "Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem,"

For districts interested in suicide-prevention training, Gerow volunteers to teach a program in conjunction with Angela Jo Henze of the Orange County Mental Health Association. They've helped to train thousands of students and faculty members over the past year and a half.

As news of their work gets around, they're gearing up to get the word out to other parts of the mid-Hudson. "We've been spreading it all over the county and we'll go anywhere," said Gerow. The program, which is free to school districts, is called QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer).

After last year's tragedies, in which two teens in the Monroe-Woodbury area took their own lives and a third student attempted suicide, Gerow helped to train thousands in the school district about QPR.

"All of the programs through Sean and the county have been exceptional," said Monroe-Woodbury High School Principal David Bernsley. "We've been able to reach not only the students, but also the families."

Through her personal story as a suicide survivor, D'Aliso discussed some of the "red flags" and how they were missed in her son's case. "You have to listen with open ears and open eyes," she said. "It's not information for you to carry. It's for you to do something about it."

Luedke and D'Aliso each established separate support groups to assist families of suicide. There's no charge to have them speak to school assemblies.

"It's about a passion to make a difference and promoting hope," said Gerow.